Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Writings

Lesson 5 - Be Thankful

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as it fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (Ephesians 5:3-4)

On Lesson 4, I wrote about denying yourself to make room for God.  This is a hard task as temptations arise all over the place.  I think one way to help in denying yourself is to be thankful for what you already have.  Leading up to this passage in Ephesians, Paul is writing about putting off the old man filled with all these evil characteristics listed above, and putting on the new man, being filled with the love of Christ.

It is easy to fall into the path of covetousness and living for yourself.  I do not know about other Christians, but I know for me, the old man never really leaves.  I live in a constant struggle.  Like Paul, who says in Romans 7:19:

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

There is a selfishness in me that I fall back into again and again.  Then I feel the need to repent again and again.  It has to do with a certain coveteousness, of wanting my life to go a certain way, to want things for myself.  What is one way to fight this?

but rather giving of thanks.

I find the times in my life when I am most selfish, I am also the least thankful.  I am challenged this morning, how can I live my life in a more thankful way?  Am I truly thankful for everything the Lord has given me?  Being in Guatemala, surrounded by people who do not have what I have taken for granted over the years, it strikes me ever the more that I am not a very thankful human being.  I have truly been blessed abundantly, not just with possessions, but with family, with people that love me, with growing up in a circumstance that allows me a chance to succeed.  Not to even mention the riches I have in Christ, that I can not even begin to truly comprehend.  It seems like so much as to seem unbelievable and a part of me does not want to believe it, because I feel so unworthy of it.

May the Lord teach us all the riches that He has given us, and may we all be thankful, desiring nothing more.   A men.

   















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